Ouch!

Bad news? I hurt my back yesterday. It was so bad that to bend, change positions, basically MOVE was excruciatingly horrible. I was going around like a 102-yr old man who needs a cane. Ugh.. so yucky.

Good news? I work in an office filled with docs who are very willing to give you an opinion/diagnosis/treatment all wrapped into one.

Yesterday when I went into talk with Dr. BossMan, I had to gingerly lower myself onto the chair. But even small movements like this caused me to yelp out in pain, which led to him asking what the matter was. When I said I hurt my back, he (so like a doc) did a quick HPI, then went on to tell me about HIS back problems last year where he had a herniated disc which led to an L5 radiculopathy and foot drop. Uh, not very comforting. Good for me was that I didn't have any neuropathic symptoms. So he gave me two ibuprofens and told me to take them (I'm a good patient so I did as I was told).

Unfortunately, this did nothing and the pain progressively got worse! Ugh! So I was hobbling around the place (trying to compensate for my weirded out back) when Dr. C, I guess noticed my strange gait:

Dr. C (in a super nice voice)
Did you hurt your ankle Stuff?
Stuff
No, I threw my back out.
Dr. C (again, super sweetly)
Oh... that's horrible. Do you want some ibuprofen? I have some right now I can give you?
Stuff (internally dying from the whole swoon-worthy conversation)
Oh no that's alright. Dr. BossMan just gave me two.

Okay, altogether now.... AWWWW... Gosh darn it...

Now brace yourself. It only gets better. Today, as I stormed into the office, being in a huff because I was slightly late, I rushed past Dr. C who was standing at the shiny, new espresso machine (daily ritual for all the attendings):

Dr. C (calling out to Stuff)
How's your back?
Stuff to self
Gah! He's talking to me again! Okay, no facial vasodilation allowed.
(gives pained look to Dr. C)
Dr. C
Oh no! Did you take ibuprofen? I can give you some if you want.
Stuff(swoons)
No that's okay, it didn't really work yesterday.

After said swoonage, and as I was coming out of the bathroom, I noticed Dr. C, the research coordinator standing outside Dr. Nice's office. Guess what they were discussing?..... Yep... my back

The RC & Dr. C seemed to think that I needed naproxen, or maybe try some more ibuprofen +/- acetaminophen (Dr. C, aka the human pharmacy it seems, tells me he has both). He also asked me to show him where the pain was & if it extended down the legs (see! see! so doctory). Dr. Nice, however, thought I should just try to rest & sleep it off. In the end, the consensus was to give ibuprofen another try...which I did.. and lo & behold... it worked!

So I've been (relatively) pain-free for the rest of today, and am crossing my fingers this whole business is not due to placebo.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I love me MY docs!

P.S. Truffles, I have one week to get over this 'sine curve' that is Dr. C =P
Please remind me next week.